Alice and her mother have spent most of her 17 years on the road. Always a step ahead of the bad luck that seems to find them wherever they go. When Alice’s grandmother, an author of popular dark fairy tales, dies on her estate The Hazel Wood. Then her mother ends up being taken by a supernatural creature from the Hinterland. Alice’s luck couldn’t get worse.

She has one lead- a message her mother left behind to stay away from the Hazel Wood. Now Alice must ally herself with a hardcore Hinterland super fan in her class, Ellery Finch, in order to get her mother back.

I’ve been dying to get my hands on a copy of this book. I got lucky and was given a copy via Netgalley (yay for Netgalley!). I’ve definitely been in a fairy tale reading mood and I’ve seen this book with its amazingly gorgeous cover all over the bookstagram community so I had to read it. This is definitely going to be one of my most favorite books from 2018.

It’s dark. Honestly the Hinterland scares the crap out of me. Reading this book late at night and going downstairs to get fruit loops alone was terrifying for me haha. I loved how the author has extremely unique fairy tales written into the book. Honestly the twist about 3/4 through the book absolutely blew my mind. Drop whatever you are doing and get your hands on a copy ASAP!

I'll start off my saying that I really really wanted to like this book. This book has gotten a lot of hype and sounded right up my alley. I love fairy tale books (especially dark ones) and Alice in Wonderland remakes, I thought I was sure to enjoy "The Hazel Wood." With all that being said... I couldn't finish the book. I read 60% of it (it took over a month) and I had to stop.

The Characters: I had no connection with the characters. I found Alice to be mean, her mother you barely see and Ellery Finch is often described negatively. It was hard to like Alice when she's so self-centered, demanding and angry. Finch is the only character of color in the story (maybe there are more later but I never got that far). Alice treats him poorly and states that he "inspired her to loudly complain about extreme wealth being wasted on non-hot guys." Also, at one point when they get pulled over by a cop Alice starts to yell at the office and doesn't understand why Finch is so upset about it (he's afraid of being racially profiled). It's hard to become invested in a book if I don't care about the characters.

The Writing: I couldn't get past the style of this book. There are so many crazy metaphors that I actually laughed out loud at one point (and no it was not humerous). In one sentence there's an egg metaphor and the next a baseball one. That's two nonsensical metaphors in one paragraph. I couldn't focus on the plot because I was too busy rolling my eyes at all the crazy metaphors.

The Plot: I enjoyed the very beginning of the book, learning about Alice, her mother Ella and the reclusive fairy tale author. It was interesting to hear about the cult following of "Tales from the Hinterland" and the mysterious Althea Prosperine. I found the beginning to be intriguing because it teased a lot of strange occurrences (Alice and Ella having to move around a lot and Alice being kidnapped). I read over half of the book and learned little more about those instances. The pace of the plot was very slow and things happened just because that's what happens in fairy tales. Some events occurred just because it's a fairy tale. One of the characters even makes the comment: "Maybe it's a fairy-tale thing." I couldn't get past the fact that the author couldn't come up with a better explanation for events besides that's how it works in fairy tales. I think if the events had greater explanations it would have made the story more cohesive and flow better.

This book was not for me. I feel bad that this review is so negative, I try to find something good in each book I read whether or not I liked it. I will say that I have a co-worker who absolutely loved it and raves about it. I'm sure some people will enjoy it but I really struggled through it.

*HUGE thanks to Fierce Reads, Netgalley, and Melissa Albert for the early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion

***2.5 STARS***

My Review...

I’d like to preface this review by stating that no one is more surprised & bummed out by my reading experience with The Hazel Wood. I stayed clear of other reviews while reading once I caught wind of the divide in readers. This book feels like it will be a either you LOVE it or REALLY WANTED TO BUT JUST DIDN’T type of read & I fall into the latter. This has all the ingredients I look for in my Fantasy books however, the promise of “pitch dark fairy tales” was the real hook line & sinker. This is a very slow paced read & I for one am Ok with that because some of my favorite books have been and as long as the pay off is worth it I roll with it. The problem became evident when at the 60% mark I started eyeing the remaining pages wondering if there were enough left to transport me to the Hinterland & when that exactly was going to happen. It was like waiting for Lucy to find the door in the wardrobe that would take her to Narnia only she doesn’t discover it til the very end & at that point there really isn’t much time for world building. Although The Hazel Wood is labeled Fantasy, a large chunk of it is set in modern day.

We follow Alice and her mother who are always on the move trying to stay ten steps ahead of their “bad luck” & so a lot of the story is set on the road. Alice knows only that her mom doesn’t have a good relationship with her grandmother and as such has told her to stay away from her & The Hazel Wood where she lives. This all changes when Alice’s mother is kidnapped & she’s left with a last ditch warning from her mom to again stay away from The Hazel Wood. Alice of course disregards & starts searching for clues that will lead her to her mom, eventually all roads lead to the Hinterland and the passageway is The Hazelwood. Alice has never read her Grandmothers most famed written work Tales from the Hinterland but not for lack of trying. The hunt for this rare edition leads her to her classmate Ellery Finch who is OBSESSED with her grandmother & Tales from the Hinterland. Typically, Alice steers clear of all fans but she’s feeling really desperate & Ellery has read the book which gives them an advantage. Now, the way this relationship progresses was probably one of the main reasons I came to the conclusion that I really dislike Alice as a character. Yes, it’s clear that Ellery has a hidden agenda but we don’t know if he has ill intentions towards Alice or is just a super fan who will do anything to get into The Hazel Wood. The dialogue between these two is always abusive from Alice’s side. One specific instance is when they’re on the road & Finch makes up a game in order to break the ice & get to know each other better, maybe even help Alice remember important childhood memories that can help them. The game is called Memory Place and Ellery starts of with A is fo Amsterdam because that’s the place he lost his “V-card” & they continue through the alphabet only Alice gets exasperated & says she no longer wants to play…

“I don’t want to play your stupid game anymore”

“and who uses a car game as an excuse to brag about having sex with some bitch in a park”

“some bit**? she was my girlfriend for eight months. It’s so ugly when girls call each other that word”

“Oh, my God, Finch, go get a liberal arts degree”

Awkward…but this is very much who Alice is and although we get a better understanding for her character at the very end, it didn’t change the cringe worthy moments throughout the book where she was just downright unlike-able.

To be honest, I probably would’ve fared better in the tolerance department had the majority of this story been set in the Hinterland. I really did not enjoy Quentin Colwater’s character in The Magicians but once we were in Fillory, he got plenty of passes from me. Alice may not have been my favorite MC however, I’m a sucker for A+ world building & the glimpse that I got just wasn’t enough. There were two stories within The Hazel Wood that were from Tales from the Hinterland that were absolutely engrossing! Dark & twisted, I couldn’t get enough & found myself powering through the pages. However, these were short stories at the very end and I can’t judge my enjoyment of this book on just these two amazing short stories (I thought about it but I just can’t). The ending however, leaves much promise for the sequel and I found my interest piqued. I really enjoyed the story behind Alice once it was revealed at the very end, but don’t want to discuss for fear of spoilers. I will say that in the short amount of time I spent in the Hinterland, I found it to be filled with interesting characters & the land itself had a very dark & atmospheric vibe. The kind of place I would’ve loved getting lost in the pages with. I’d still encourage those who want to read this book to do so since I know blogger buddies who LOVED it to pieces. I myself wanted to LOVE it but ultimately it didn’t work out that way. Will I read the sequel or any of the authors future works? I’m going to say yes for now, it’s clear Melissa Albert knows how to write dark Fantasy. I’m very curious to see whether the sequel let’s us full out immerse ourselves into the treacherous world of the Hinterland and enjoy her story-telling in a fantastical setting…

I wrote about this book here: http://www.bethfishreads.com/2018/01/8-new-speculative-fiction-books-for.html

The Hazel Wood 
By Melissa Albert

Fairy tales have been told to children for generations.  Most of us remember them with fond memories and being left with a warm and fuzzy feeling.  As we grew older and learned the original stories didn’t always give a warm and fuzzy feeling; nor did they always have a happy ending.  I enjoyed fairy tales growing up, and as I grew, I enjoyed reading how authors base new stories on them (still do!).  The Hazel Wood is a story that Melissa Albert wove elements of the beloved fairy tales into a captivating tale of new and old. 

Plot Summary
Alice is a girl who is raised by a single mom, Ella.  Alice and her mom seem cursed with bad luck every place they moved, and they moved a lot.  After Alice’s grandmother dies, whom she never had a chance to meet, her Ella marries and Alice gain a step dad and a step sister; their bad luck seemingly over.  Alice settles into her new school and makes a friend.  Ella settles into her new job.  Everything is finally normal…until it isn’t.
It started when Alice recognized a customer at her work.  The customer had not changed since she first saw him as a child.  He noticed he had been recognized and ran.  Alice should’ve told her mother about seeing the man, but chose to keep quiet.  When other things she couldn’t explain began to happen, she decided it was time to tell her mom, only find she had been kidnapped.  With her friend’s help, she begins to learn things about her family, her past, and herself that will forever change her life.
Read The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert to find out what happened in Alice’s past, if she will find her mom, and why does it change everything?

Critical Analysis
My initial reaction to The Hazel Wood was: I see where this is going; this will be a nice twist on fairy tales.  However, it soon became a page turner, then a stay up way past bedtime to read just one more chapter kind of book.  There were nice surprises, twists, and connections I did not predict; which for an avid reader like myself, is appreciated.  I liked the way Albert unwound this tale, and I anxiously await to read more from her.

Plot: Since she was a child, Alice and her mother were always on the run to escape their 'bad luck'. When they receive word that Alice's grandmother, Althea, passed away, Alice's mother announced that they were free from the bad luck and could live life normally. Except Alice's mother was kidnapped and it seemed like the kidnappers were leaving a fairytale trail for Alice to follow. 

My husband asked me to describe this one to him (because he liked the cover) and the first thing that came to mind was 'Neil Gaiman.' The Hazel Wood was brutal and dark with creepy yet beautiful fantasy aspects. If you're a fan of Coraline or any of Neil Gaiman's darker short stories, I think you'll enjoy this one!

The Hazel Wood was written beautifully and kept me rapidly turning pages. The mystery unraveled at a pleasing pace which was due in part to the fairy tale stories that Albert snuck in every so often. While I enjoyed the reading experience and how creative the premise was, I was surprised by how rushed the last one hundred pages felt. Truthfully, I saw this book told in two parts, and the second part had the most reveals and it's unfortunate that Albert didn't allow more time for the reader to process all of the bombshells. 

When I read The Hazel Wood, I had no idea that a sequel was planned. I personally thought that The Hazel Wood wrapped up nicely, but I won't object to a continuation!

Characters: Alice truly had a rough upbringing; she and her mom were basically couchsurfing and Alice knew nothing of her famous grandmother who penned dark fairytales. It's understandable that she had a rough edge to her and I liked that about her. She was defensive but her walls began to fall once she found an ally in her classmate, Finch. 

I was impressed that Albert managed to squeeze in a conversation about White Privilege in a fantasy novel and I want to applaud her for taking the time to make Alice check her privilege. 

Worldbuilding: Nothing could have prepared me for the world of The Hazel Wood and I'm in awe that Melissa Albert managed to balance fantasy with the real world. The best way to describe the world was modern day New York City with some creepy creatures leaking into it. The fantasy wasn't overt in the real world, it was just enough to have Alice and Finch do a double take or wonder if the radio station just happened to play a random song, or if she were receiving a message. There was a world that I wanted to learn more about, and maybe I'll have that opportunity in the sequel. 

Short N Sweet: The Hazel Wood is an impressive debut that will leave you feeling slightly off-balanced.

I can't remember having such drastic feelings about a book. The first half (which I read in one sitting - thank you, insomnia!) captivated me. I found it suspenseful, engaging, a little creepy and I was intrigued by the stunning cover and the dark fairy tale aspect.

And then, a little more than half way through, the book took on a different feel. At this point, the story became convoluted and the world building was done so quickly, not giving readers time to acclimate, that I was left feeling an overall sense of confusion. Many secondary and tertiary characters float in and out of the story that it left me wondering who was important.

The Hazel Wood has a unique premise that is very much story-centric leaving readers with only two main characters - Alice and to a lesser extent, Ellery Finch, her school mate who is an avid fan of Alice's grandmother's book. Alice is an unlikable, ornery main character and without a connection to her, and with a confusing second half of the book, I can't say that I finished the book as enamoured with it as I began. I definitely liked parts - Finch, the writing and suspense in the first half but the last half of the book pulled my rating down.

I realize that other readers have adored this book and perhaps this dark urban fantasy read just isn't the book for me. If you're into dark fairy tales and want a story to take you to places you've never imagined this may be a book for you.

Disclaimer: This ARC was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This one didn't quite follow the path I expected -- that being said, it was an enjoyable read and I kept picking it back up.  The dark premise and lush imagery were exactly what I wanted in a new take on a classic tale.  I think maybe I was expected a quicker build up, the story took a little bit to get going -- but overall, I liked it.

THE HAZEL WOOD, by Melissa Albert, Flatiron Books, Jan. 30, 2018, Hardcover, $16.99 (young adult)

Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood reads and feels like two separate books, which makes it a little bit difficult to review. Especially since I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.

The story follows 17-year-old Alice who lives with her mother in her stepfather’s upscale apartment. She attends an exclusive private school. Her life appears perfect. Except it’s not. This is the longest Alice and her mom have ever stayed in one place. Most of Alice’s life has been spent on the road, bad luck nipping at their toes as they move from place to place.

Things changed when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of dark fairy tales, The Hinterland, dies alone. That’s when they set down roots. And that’s when things go terribly, terribly wrong. Someone who claims to be from the Hinterland kidnaps Alice’s mother.

With little to go on, Alice follows her gut and sets out for the Hazel Wood, her late grandmother’s estate. Joining Alice is Finch, a classmate and super fan of The Hinterland. Despite questionable motives, Alice has no choice but to trust Finch, who knows way more about her grandmother’s life and literature than she does. But at what cost?

The Hazel Wood is very dark, although there’s a spark in the second half that lifts some of that weightiness considerably.

The first part of The Hazel Wood takes place in the real world. Alice is always on edge, and there’s danger lurking around every corner. As Alice’s story unfolds, we’re also exposed to The Hinterland, which is a compilation of unpleasant fairy tales. The pacing here, despite the need for immediacy feels anything but urgent, even though the content is compelling.

Once Alice reaches the entrance to the real Hinterland, the story takes on a new tone. The world Alice enters is full of vivid color and texture. You immediately feel transported. The pacing picks up and so, quite frankly, does the plot. It takes a long time to get there, but once you do, you’re rewarded.

The Hazel Wood is an odd mix of reality and fantasy that’s an acquired taste. It’s a bit long and drags in places, but in the end, it did hold my attention. I’d check this one out from the library before purchasing it.

I'm disappointed. I went in expecting something else and I got something back entirely different. The first bit of the story held my attention well but as I continued on reading, not even halfway into the book I became very bored. I think my brain doesn't agree very well with this writing style. Wish I loved it more, but I honestly couldn't even finish this book.

This is an odd book, so odd it took me some time to decide if I liked it. I think I did, despite its strangeness, and despite the fact that it set itself up as one thing and turned into something else entirely (what I like to think of as Mara Dyer Syndrome).

We begin with the main character, Alice, explaining that she has spent her life on the run with her mother, Ella. What are they running from? It's not quite clear - they call it "bad luck." Ella thinks it has something to do with her mother, Althea Proserpine, the author of a strange book of fairy tales called Tales From the Hinterland. Ella doesn't talk about her mother and Alice has never met her grandmother. Her life is strange, but she doesn't think too hard about it. When Ella vanishes, seemingly kidnapped by real-life Hinterland characters, Alice has little choice but to team up with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland fan.

The first half of the book, which I actually enjoyed more, is half scavenger hunt, half road trip. It plays itself out like a variety of different genres - psychological thriller, mystery, supernatural horror - yet never quite settles into any one of them. It is only a bit past the halfway mark when this turns into the incredibly weird portal fantasy it was always meant to be, as Alice navigates her way through the Hinterland, which is kind of a creepy Wonderland. There's a lot of really clever and shocking twists that I enjoyed, and a lot of strange fairy-tale logic that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, which I didn't love. A lot of the time I felt like my brain was struggling to wrap itself around what exactly was happening, but it almost seemed like the book was trying to tell me the logic of it all isn't important, because it's a fairy tale, and it's magic.

I want to address something I've seen in a lot of reviews so far: Alice's character. Yes, she's extremely unpleasant. But she isn't meant to be likable. She is specifically written as horrible because there is a specific reason for how horrible she is, which is revealed towards the end. Plus Alice is aware of her bitterness and her rage, aware of how she can't control it no matter how hard she tries, aware of how it claws its way up into her throat from her belly like a beast she has no power over. Basically, the narrative foreshadows the fact that her anger isn't normal and that it makes her horrible. Besides, it makes her a compelling character, even if I didn't like her (and I really, really, really didn't like her).

I was much more fascinated by her mother, Ella, and more than once found myself wishing we had gotten to know her better. More is revealed about her towards the end, but I still wanted more. What I appreciated, though, was the bond between her and Alice, and how it essentially formed the crux of the entire narrative. Mother/daughter relationships like this are quite rare to see, and I loved that Ella and Alice's love for each other was the backbone of this story. The budding romance with Ellery Finch is slight and ends up subverting the YA romance trope in a really intriguing way.

This book is compelling, mesmerizing in a weird way, and vaguely creepy. I finished it in two days because it's such a quick read (but with lovely, occasionally dreamy prose) and I was pulled in by the mystery. The story keeps you guessing again and again and even when you think you understand what's going on there's more to learn. Again, it's an odd book, and I'm not entirely sure I completely understood it. Like I said, it operates on fairy tale logic, which to me often feels nonsensically metaphorical and slippery, like it's not meant to make any kind of sense.

Despite this, I enjoyed it very much, mainly because it's rather unique! I really have never read anything quite like this before, and it was gripping, so it gets a high rating from me.

"How many years did it take for a place to fall apart like this? From a distance it was picturesque, but as I walked closer I could see its destruction. The great house looked like it had grown up from the ground, and the ground was trying to take it back. Vines grew through cracked window panes, grass crawled over steps."

Dark, atmospheric, and greatly imagined, "The Hazel Wood" is about a girl named Alice whose grandmother was a writer of dark fairytales collected in a book called, "The Tales of Hinterland" whose copies are rare to find. Alice being very intrigued by her grandmothers work sets out to find a copy with the help of her friend and personal favorite character, Ellery Finch. Things begin to become very strange and what was once supposed "fairytales" could be hiding some truth. Is Hinterland real? Alice soon will find out when her mother, Ella, goes missing to possibly this once upon a time fairyland and The Hazel Wood, the estate that resides in this world where her grandmother lives/lived at.     

This book was hard to rate honestly, I did have a few issues with it. Mainly, sometimes it felt too fast-paced and the plot did tend to be a little messy. However, in the end, it did not hinder my whole outlook of the book. What I really liked about this story was that all the fairytales were original, aside from two of the characters being named Alice and Ella (obviously not a coincidence to Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella), there was no "retellings" in this book and the names had nothing to do with the classic fairytales. It was refreshing and the fairytales were dark but written in a very Brothers Grimm style. They were beautifully done! This story was also very gripping in parts and I kept wanting to know more about the Hinterland world and the famous eerie house: The Hazel Wood. I love love love stories where a house is a character in itself! Even though, I felt Albert could have elaborated more on The Hazel Wood estate, her writing about it was gorgeous and I felt like I was stepping into it myself. 

I feel like if you are a fan of the tv show Once Upon a Time, then you would really like this. It wasn't perfect, but it definably gave me a glimpse into a world you only get to see in books and I loved that.

Thank you Flatiron books for giving me an advanced copy for an honest review! You can buy this book when it releases on January 30, 2018!

This was delightfully creepy and dark, more than I expected. I'm always a little disappointed when romances don't turn out how I expected, but it still resolved well enough and in harmony with the tone of the rest of the book. I loved the mysterious, lyrical fairy tale feel of it mixed in with gritty very real life. It was all around deeper and more nuanced and just better than I expected.

The Hazel Wood is a well integrated mix of reality and fantasy. In this book, Alice learns about her past and journeys to the end of a fairytale to find her mother. 

Wow! This book was so good! It was dark, creepy, and made you want more, more, more when the last page was turned. If you like dark fairytales, you need to check out this book!

The quality of writing in this book is stunning. The imagery in The Hazel Wood makes you feel as though you just stepped into a fairytale while reading it. 

The pace of the book is consistent throughout. While the book is painted with vivid details, the pace of the story marches along to a steady beat, never leaving you behind or making you yawn with boredom. 

The overarching plot is unique and interesting. You can't help but grow attached to Alice and feel bad for her mother, Ella as they're tangled into the throes of the Hinterland. I enjoyed the fairytales, dark as they were. These aren't "and they all lived happily ever after" type fairytales. These are "I slit her throat and watched her bleed" type fairytales. While twisted, they were imaginative and fun to read.

The ending of the book was good and leaves itself open to the next book in the trilogy. I have no idea what's going to happen next, which is both fun and nerve-wracking (I'm impatient!) Does Alice return to the Hinterland? What happens to Finch? Does Ella get to live a normal life? I want to know! 

The characters in The Hazel Wood were thoughtfully constructed. Alice's character is rich in detail and personality, as is Finch's character. Some of the secondary and minor characters aren't as clear or fleshed out, but I think that's okay. I was pleased with the way Alice and Finch's characters were shaped--I was the most emotionally invested in them. 

I read this in two days! The book flies by quickly. It's easy to read, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Don't delay--this is a book worthy of your bookshelf!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book will be posted on my blog on Saturday, January 20, 2018.

This right here is why "don't judge a book by it's cover" is the silliest saying. It's beautiful, dark and attention grabbing.

The story earns those descriptions.

You have Alice, a teen with anger issues.  Never happens, right? She's been moving all her life with her mom, Ella. They never stay still for long because the "bad luck" always finds them.

When Ella learns her mother has died, she thinks the bad luck is over and settles down. Alice gets a job and starts going to this fancy school with her new step-sister.

But is the bad luck really over? When Alice comes home and finds the apartment ripped apart and her mother missing, she fears the worst luck of all has found them at last.

I love fairy tales and this one doesn't disappoint. These aren't stories you've ever heard, but man was it ever good!

After seeing a million glowing reviews for this book, I could not wait to read it.  The day I started it I read about 40% of the book.  Right away I was drawn into Alice's life and story.  The mystery of Althea Proserpine and her book of fairy tales was perfectly captivating and creepy, and I thought it was paced very well.  My favorite thing about this book was the language.  Alice's funny and sarcastic voice felt very real and relatable, and I loved all of the specific real world references (the Harry Potter references being my favorite for obvious reasons).  The mix of reality and fantasy really enhanced the world and made the fantasy aspects more believable.  I also loved the language of the fairy tale stories themselves.  They were creepy, dark, and absolutely beautiful.  I wish I could read all of the Tales of the Hinterland, in addition to the few we got to experience within the story.  I loved all of the characters.  I adored Alice and Finch, and was pleasantly surprised at their relationship throughout the book.  It was really refreshing, different, and quite bittersweet.  I also loved all of "The Stories" from the Hinterland.  It was such a clever concept, and it was fun seeing them both in and out of their world.  All of Albert's characters were very unique and specific, and I had very clear pictures of them in my mind.  While I was thoroughly engaged in the plot and the characters, I expected a lot more when they finally got to the Hinterland.  There was so much build up to this final destination, but the story went by so fast.  I would have loved to see more of it, and find out more details about how everything worked.  Not revealing everything about the Hinterland might have been an attempt to create a more mysterious atmosphere, but parts of it felt underdeveloped.  I really liked everything we were given, I just wanted more.  More time and more detail, especially with the ending.  It all seemed a little too easy.  I loved the idea, but it felt rushed through and could have been expanded.  I was engaged enough for it to go on a bit longer, and I wish we could have seen more of a fight.  This book started out really strong but kind of drifted away for me towards the end.  I was still hooked on the story, but after all the hype, my expectations were really high and I was left feeling a little underwhelmed.

I enjoyed this read SO much! The Hazel Wood was a page turner from beginning to end and would definitely recommend to friends and family. I love Alice and find that she has a wonderful connection with all of the characters. Everything just unfolded so seamlessly and definitely impressed me at how much I enjoyed it!

I really expected to like this, had heard great things about it and loved the cover, but I actually thought it was pretty awful. For one thing is was quite boring. This was supposed to be about Alice’s mother getting kidnapped and her having to go searching for her in the Hazel Wood, right? Which should have made for a pretty direct, purposeful, and organized plot. Instead, the first 64% of the book read like purposeless wandering. Then when she finally gets to The Hazel Wood, it should get interesting, but instead it’s nonsensical wandering that is somehow less interesting that the first 64% (maybe I was just done by that point). 

Now, if Alice was even a somewhat likable character, it may have been easier to read, but she’s pretty unlikable. She has a really negative outlook on everything (which may be justified, but is not a fun perspective to read from), anger issues that come on for random reasons, and doesn’t like anyone except her mom. 

I also have to note that there were A LOT of references in here to popular culture items that I did not get. They didn’t seem to be teen culture references either, but possibly older references, which didn’t fit for a YA audience. 

In the end, I was sad that I wasted my time reading this book when I could have been reading something else. If you’re interested in reading this, take note, like other reviewers mentioned that this is more of a dark Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a lot that doesn’t make sense.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

the hazel wood (Melissa Albert)

Title: the hazel wood

Author: Melissa Albert

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: TODAY!!! (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-1250147905

Source: NetGalley

This book was a slow-burning, dark, and atmospheric read.  It felt like a Grimm's fairy-tale mixed with some Alice in Wonderland but was mostly set in our modern world.  For all of the book's slow pacing, I somehow found meself mesmerized by the mystery of it all.

Alice and her mom are always beset by bad luck and have led a fairly nomadic life.  Alice's life has been heavily influenced by the tantalizing facts about her grandmother, Althea, even though they have never met.  Ye see a young Althea wrote a famous children's book of fairy-tales and became a sensation.  Yet the book is hard to get a hold of.  It is a rare collector's item and is out of print.  Alice has never been allowed to read it.  The one time she tried she only got as far as the table of contents before her mom confiscated the volume.  It was never seen again.  Why are Alice and her mom always on the run?  And what is so special about those stories?

If ye read this novel ye can find out.  Alice is a kinda quirky, if tad unlikable, character and her journey certainly is an interesting one.  Most of the story takes place in a seemingly contemporary tale where the fantasy can be glimpsed in the seams and cracks outside of periphery vision.  Those glimpses are enticing.  Of course the fantasy elements increase as the story progresses and that was super fun.

The only small quibble was the ending felt unsettled.  But it fit the Grimm-like mood and so I was satisfied.  Then, of course, I found out it is part of a series!  I do think it can feel like a standalone though.  I do wonder what adventures Alice will get into next.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Flatiron Books!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

To visit the author’s twitter go to:

Melissa Albert - Author

To buy the novel please visit:

the hazel wood - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Not really sure how to review this book. I didn't exactly love it, but I also liked it enough to where I couldn't stop reading it. There were parts that I really enjoyed, like the writing and the dark fairy tales, but I also don't feel like there was much going on.

The first part of the book, you get the backstory on Ella, Alice, and The Hazel Wood. From there, it kinda drags a bit until Ella is kidnapped, and you think there would be this big amazing journey with lots of action, but everything just kinda fizzles out. 

I don't know, can you like but also not like a book at the same time?